What will happen if I put my stainless steel CLAD cookware through the dishwasher?

[fuzzybabybunny]

I'm talking triple ply cookware. Mirror finish stainless steel on outside, aluminum core layer, matte stainless steel layer on outside. Like All-Clad, Calphalon Tri-Ply, Cuisinart Multiclad, Henckels International Clad, etc.

What exactly will happen? Will the mirror finish become irreparably damaged? How does it happen?

 

[Toastedlightly]

It will get clean?

 

[iamwiz82]

Well, the inside of my dishwasher is stainless steel and it has managed to survive so far.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: Toastedlightly
It will get clean?

The directions say that it's dishwasher safe, but hand washing is always recommended. I just don't know why. For things like large stock pots hand washing would be a real pain.

 

[Toastedlightly]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny

Originally posted by: Toastedlightly
It will get clean?

The directions say that it's dishwasher safe, but hand washing is always recommended. I just don't know why. For things like large stock pots hand washing would be a real pain.

A dishwasher most likely won't clean it as well as your own two hands I assume. I've worked in resturaunts... our d/w was stainless, and nothing happened to the stainless we washed.

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: Toastedlightly
It will get clean?

Wow...what an innovative idea!

I agree that for pots & pans, hand-washing is always preferrable if you want them CLEAN...of course, I'm pretty finicky about dishes...they're usually clean enough to eat off of BEFORE they go into the dishwasher...:roll:

The idea of putting dishes into the dishwasher still encrusted with food gags me...that has to appeal to lazy housewives (or those who have way too much to do already) or the typical male who dislikes washing dishes, and really doesn't care if they're spotless, just cleaner than when they went in...

 

[ElFenix]

it'll dull the finish. won't be mirror anymore after a few washes in the dishwasher because the finish will get scoured by food particles.

 

[Gneisenau]

If stainless Steel objects go through the dishwasher, usually nothing bad happens. However, when they touch during the washing and especially drying cycle, they can turn brown at that point due to electrolysis. It doesn't happen often and usually with lower quality stainless steel. I believe it happens more often with cladding than with solid high quality SS. Once it happens, it's pretty much there forever.

I've had it happen to a couple of pieces of my stainlessware.

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: Toastedlightly
It will get clean?

Wow...what an innovative idea!

I agree that for pots & pans, hand-washing is always preferrable if you want them CLEAN...of course, I'm pretty finicky about dishes...they're usually clean enough to eat off of BEFORE they go into the dishwasher...:roll:

The idea of putting dishes into the dishwasher still encrusted with food gags me...that has to appeal to lazy housewives (or those who have way too much to do already) or the typical male who dislikes washing dishes, and really doesn't care if they're spotless, just cleaner than when they went in...

Simply rinsing the dishes off before throwing them in is the key. That's all it takes. I'm pretty picky about dishes being clean, but when i lived in an APT i always used the dishwasher. It was just easier (and i'm a typical lazy male).

 

[TipsyMcStagger]

It will remove the stuck on food

 

[Eli]

I am guessing that it will become clean.

Learn how stainless steel works. It's possible for it to be damaged, sure, but.. yeah.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

So I shouldn't put it through the dishwasher if I value my mirror finish?

The thing is that lots of people recommend Bar Keeper's Friend, which contains a mild abrasive, to clean both the inside AND the mirror outside. Would food actually be so abrasive as to dull the finish?

 

[Eli]

I missed the keyword in your OP: "clad".

I would avoid damaging stainless clad cookware in any way possible; that means washing it by hand.

Actually, I would avoid buying stainless clad cookware. lol

 

[Auric]

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: Toastedlightly
It will get clean?

Wow...what an innovative idea!

I agree that for pots & pans, hand-washing is always preferrable if you want them CLEAN...of course, I'm pretty finicky about dishes...they're usually clean enough to eat off of BEFORE they go into the dishwasher...:roll:

The idea of putting dishes into the dishwasher still encrusted with food gags me...that has to appeal to lazy housewives (or those who have way too much to do already) or the typical male who dislikes washing dishes, and really doesn't care if they're spotless, just cleaner than when they went in...

Indeed, a dishwasher is okay for light washing and better at sanitizing. Ergo, mild abrasive action is really required first.

As for the SS cookware... accept that they are tools and will lose their lustre in short order. Being clean is more important than being shiny. But the dishwasher is obviously not required. Still, they will get scratched to hell at the least. If obessive I suppose they could be repolished with fine steel wool (the kind had at hardware stores not the dish soap isle at the grocery store).

 

[Eli]

I have a few old stainless steel pots and pans, use Lava soap to wash dishes(read: very abrasive), and they're fine. The idea of stainless clad cookware is stupid.

They haven't had a perfectly mirror finish for 20 years, I could care less.

 

[0roo0roo]

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/stainlesssteel

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: Eli
I have a few old stainless steel pots and pans, use Lava soap to wash dishes(read: very abrasive), and they're fine. The idea of stainless clad cookware is stupid.

They haven't had a perfectly mirror finish for 20 years, I could care less.

How much less?

 

[Auric]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: Eli
They haven't had a perfectly mirror finish for 20 years, I could care less.

How much less?

The point is they care a lot. Don't be so pedantic

 

[Kaspian]

It might dull the finish a little bit. We put ours in the diswasher.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: Toastedlightly
It will get clean?

Wow...what an innovative idea!

I agree that for pots & pans, hand-washing is always preferrable if you want them CLEAN...of course, I'm pretty finicky about dishes...they're usually clean enough to eat off of BEFORE they go into the dishwasher...:roll:

The idea of putting dishes into the dishwasher still encrusted with food gags me...that has to appeal to lazy housewives (or those who have way too much to do already) or the typical male who dislikes washing dishes, and really doesn't care if they're spotless, just cleaner than when they went in...

I am the same. i "clean" the dishes before they go in.

 

[smack Down]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: Toastedlightly
It will get clean?

Wow...what an innovative idea!

I agree that for pots & pans, hand-washing is always preferrable if you want them CLEAN...of course, I'm pretty finicky about dishes...they're usually clean enough to eat off of BEFORE they go into the dishwasher...:roll:

The idea of putting dishes into the dishwasher still encrusted with food gags me...that has to appeal to lazy housewives (or those who have way too much to do already) or the typical male who dislikes washing dishes, and really doesn't care if they're spotless, just cleaner than when they went in...

I am the same. i "clean" the dishes before they go in.

Why bother, just look at them when they come out and if there not clean put them back in to get washed again.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: smack Down

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: Toastedlightly
It will get clean?

Wow...what an innovative idea!

I agree that for pots & pans, hand-washing is always preferrable if you want them CLEAN...of course, I'm pretty finicky about dishes...they're usually clean enough to eat off of BEFORE they go into the dishwasher...:roll:

The idea of putting dishes into the dishwasher still encrusted with food gags me...that has to appeal to lazy housewives (or those who have way too much to do already) or the typical male who dislikes washing dishes, and really doesn't care if they're spotless, just cleaner than when they went in...

I am the same. i "clean" the dishes before they go in.

Why bother, just look at them when they come out and if there not clean put them back in to get washed again.

That's a waste of water and energy.

 

[Rastus]

I used to clean my dishes before I put them in the dishwasher, but in the last 15 years, dishwashers have gotten much better at cleaning them so I don't anymore.

 

[Fritzo]

I've done it for years. Real stainless steel is expensive because it lasts forever. The finish will not be hurt. Use the "pots & pans" setting on your dishwasher so the really hot water blasts the food off of it.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: Toastedlightly
It will get clean?

i concur, the food bits will get washed off